NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 27 February (WA 57–58), what authority will the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency have to require laboratories to purchase from contracted suppliers when it becomes responsible for the bulk procurement contracts of the Public Health Laboratory.

Baroness Andrews: Laboratories transferring to National Health Service trusts will be expected to maintain existing commitments to contracts and to continue to use these agreements when they are taken over by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency so as to continue to realise their overall benefits of value for money and accredited quality.
	There has been no indication from any NHS trust that it intends to do other than to utilise these central contracts.
	The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency contracts at national level for goods and services on behalf of the NHS. Contracts are made at national level only where there are clear and demonstrable benefits from aggregating demand, achieving economies of scale (undertaking work once-only on behalf of the whole of the NHS) and managing markets of strategic importance. Where the most appropriate levels of contracting have been agreed with NHS trusts, there would be a clear expectation that commitment is given to using these contracts to achieve best value for money.

Young People who Sexually Abuse

The Earl of Listowel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many meetings the Secretary of State for Health has had with ministerial colleagues in the past two years with regard to children and young people who sexually abuse; and what plans he has to hold such meetings in future.

Baroness Andrews: Department of Health Ministers meet regularly with colleagues to discuss issues relating to all children in need and expect to continue to do so in future.

GPs: Patients from Other Practices

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the legal or contractual basis for National Health Service general practitioners with the consent of their primary care trust entering into a reciprocal arrangement whereby they will not take on any patient from within their area who wishes to change general practitioners; and
	How many reciprocal arrangements exist within primary care trusts in England under which general practitioners, with the consent of their primary care trust, agree not to take on any patient from within their area who wishes to change general practitioners.

Baroness Andrews: There is no basis in the National Health Service (Choice of Practitioner) Regulations 1998, the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992 or the equivalent provisions which apply to general practitioners (GP) working within personal medical services for a GP to enter a reciprocal agreement with another GP to refuse to accept one another's patients or for a primary care trust to consent to such an arrangement. Accordingly, the Department of Health does not hold or collect data on any such arrangements.

NHS: Beds and Administrators

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many beds there are in National Health Service hospitals in England; and how many administrators there are in the National Health Service in England.

Baroness Andrews: In 2001–02 the average daily number of beds was 184,871. The number of managers in administration and estates employed in the National Health Service as at September 2001 was 27,420. This represents only 3 per cent of the NHS workforce.

Northern Ireland: Protestant and Roman Catholic Employment Statistics

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In respect of (a) males, (b) females and (c) both sexes combined, what is the employment gap between Protestants and Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: What is referred to as the employment gap has been described in different ways. One approach expresses the number of persons in a particular group in employment as a percentage of all of persons in that group who are of working age. The latter includes both economically active and economically inactive persons. The report of the Task Force on Employability and Long-Term Unemployment (Department for Employment and Learning, December 2002) employs this approach and includes associated targets to reduce differences between groups. Relevant statistics from the Labour Force Survey are noted in the following table.
	
		
			  % of Protestants of working age who are in employment % of Catholics of working age who are in employment 
			 Males 76.5 68.3 
			 Females 65.4 53.9 
			 Both sexes 71.2 61.2 
		
	
	Source: Labour Force Survey Religion Report 2001.
	Another approach is to compare a group's percentage share of the total economically active population with its percentage share of all persons in employment, the difference between the two also being referred to as the employment gap. Statistics from the Labour Force Survey are also available to show the extent to which Protestants and Roman Catholics are over-represented or under-represented in employment relative to their proportions among the economically active.
	
		
			  % of economically active % of those in employment over/under-representation 
			 Males: 
			 Protestant 55.9 57.2 +1.4 pp(1) 
			 Roman Catholic 44.1 42.8 �1.4 pp(1) 
			  
			 Females: 
			 Protestant 57.4 58.0 +0.6 pp(1) 
			 Roman Catholic 42.6 42.0 �.0 pp(1) 
		
	
	(1) Percentage point (pp) differences calculated using unrounded percentages.

North/South Ministerial Secretariat

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much the North/South Ministerial Secretariat in Armagh has spent on public relations and public affairs in each of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002; and who has been responsible for delivering that service.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Joint Secretariat of the North/South Ministerial Council (North) has not incurred any expenditure on public relations/public affairs in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of funds for capital projects, authorised by Waterways Ireland, in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, was spent in Northern Ireland; and what percentage in the Republic of Ireland.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Capital/development expenditure by Waterways Ireland is funded totally by the jurisdiction in which it is incurred. The spend on capital projects authorised by Waterways Ireland in each year of operation by jurisdiction is:
	
		
			 Year Republic of Ireland Northern Ireland 
			 2000 100% 0% 
			 2001 89% 11% 
			 2002 98% 2%

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of the budget for Waterways Ireland was provided by the Government of the Irish Republic in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002.[HL2111]

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The percentage of the budget for Waterways Ireland provided by the Government of the Irish Republic in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002 is as follows:
	2000: 90 per cent
	2001: 88 per cent
	2002: 83 per cent
	Waterways Ireland is financed on the basis that current expenditure is divided between jurisdictions on the basis of 85 per cent from the south and 15 per cent from the north, reflecting the proportional length of the waterway network in each jurisdiction, while capital/development expenditure is funded totally by the jurisdiction in which it is incurred.

North/South Implementation Bodies: Budgets

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 10 March (WA 16263) concerning North/South Implementation Bodies' budgets, who agreed, and when, the recommended allocations for 2003; and on what basis.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The recommended allocations for 2003 budgets for the North/South Implementation Bodies were agreed by the British and Irish Governments under the agreement made by the exchange of notes between the two governments dated 19 November 2002. Details for each of the bodies is set out in the table below:
	
		
			 Implementation body Recommended budget  2003 (millions) Date of approval 
			  Euros GBP 
			 Waterways Ireland 35.89 22.61 24 February2003 
			 Language Body 17.99 11.33 26 February2003 
			 Food Safety  Promotion Board 8.61 5.42 27 February 2003 
			 Trade  Business  Development Body 14.29 9.00 25 February 2003 
			 Special EU  Programmes Body 3.21 2.02 6 March 2003 
			 FCILC 5.08 3.20 11 March 2003

Sexual Offences Bill: Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has expressed support for an amendment to the Sexual Offences Bill so that it applies in its entirety to Northern Ireland.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The chief commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Belfast Arms Find

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the details of the arms find of last weekend in the Ormeau area of Belfast; what they consider are the origins and dates of the material found; and who they think was responsible for the arms.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: On 22 March 2003, as a result of a police operation, an AKM assault rifle and a large quantity of ammunition, along with other items, were discovered in Essex Street, Lower Ormeau Road, Belfast. A number of items have been sent for forensic examination and at this stage it is too early to provide details as to the origin and age of the weapons, timer power units and the other items seized. The police have stated that they believe the Provisional IRA was responsible. Two persons have been charged in connection with this incident and police inquiries are continuing.

Self-contained Air Cartridge System Air Guns

The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many self-contained air cartridge system air guns there are in circulation in the United Kingdom; and
	Whether it is their intention to ban all self-contained air cartridge system air guns; and
	Whether in the event of a ban on self-contained air cartridge systems air guns they would provide compensation to those persons affected.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We estimate that there are about 70,000 self-contained air cartridge weapons currently in circulation.
	As indicated in the recent White Paper on tackling anti-social behaviour, these weapons are easily converted to take conventional ammunition and have become popular with criminals. In 200102 they were used in at least seven murders and 10 attempted murders. In the same period, the Forensic Science Service saw over 100 such weapons in connection with a range of offences.
	We intend therefore to ban their import, sale, transfer and manufacture. Current owners will be able to keep their guns on licence and the question of compensating them does not therefore arise. I am considering the position in relation to United Kingdom dealers and manufacturers.

HM Land Registry Performance Targets

Lord Peston: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What key performance targets have been set for Her Majesty's Land Registry executive agency for 200304.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The following list sets out the key performance targets that my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor has set for Her Majesty's Land Registry for 200304.
	Her Majesty's Land Registry Key Performance Indicators and Targets 200304 1
	Customer Service
	Speed:
	Percentage of office copy and official search applications processed within two working days: 98 per cent.
	Percentage of all registrations processed within 20 working days: 80 per cent.
	Accuracy:
	Percentage of registrations processed free of any error: 98.5 per cent.
	Overall Satisfaction 2 :
	Percentage of customers who, overall, are very satisfied/satisfied with the full range of services provided by Land Registry: Better than 94 per cent.
	Financial
	Percentage return on average capital employed: 6 per cent.
	Efficiency 3
	Cost per unit in cash terms 4 (real terms) 5 : 29.08 (22.17).
	Strategic
	Start pilot implementation for e-Discharges.
	Make all key Land Registry information services available over the Internet.
	Critical Action Points:
	Implement the Land Registration Act 2002.
	Report to Ministers on proposals for e-conveyancing services and procurement strategy.
	1 More information on these and other key targets is published in the strategic and business plans.
	2 Results from YTD monthly mini satisfaction survey and Customer Service Survey 2002.
	3 This is a milestone towards the HM Treasury-agreed cost per unit target for 200607 of 28.62 in cash terms (20.27 in real terms).
	4 Based on the GDP deflator issued by HM Treasury on 23 December 2002 (base year 199293).
	5 The real term unit cost in the base year of 199293 was 30.65.

Game Licences

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what statistical basis they believe that if the price of a game licence had kept pace with inflation it would cost about 2,000 rather than 6.

Lord Whitty: The Game Licences Act 1860 set the price of an annual licence to kill game at 3. The current price is 6. The average weekly earnings of regular full-time men farm workers increased from around 0.70 in 1860 to 367 in 2002. If the price of a licence to kill game had increased in line with farm workers' earnings since 1860 it would now be 1,600.
	My earlier statement that the equivalent today would be about 2,000 had not properly allowed for the increase in the cost of the licence to 6 in 1968. I apologise to the noble Lord for the slight misunderstanding.

British Tourist Authority Offices Abroad

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any of the British Tourist Authority's offices abroad are to be closed this year; how many, if any, are planned to be opened in the next two years; and in which countries.

Baroness Blackstone: VisitBritain (formerly the British Tourist Authority) has recently reviewed its operations in Germany and South America, which will result in some rationalisation following consultations with staff. Over the next two years VisitBritain plans to expand its activities into China, South Korea, Poland and Russia, but currently there are no plans to open offices in those countries or elsewhere.

United Nations Population Fund: China's Population Policy

Lord Elton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, following the decision of the United States Government that China's population policy amounts to a programme of coercive abortion and therefore to cease their funding of the United Nations Population Fund, whether they will now cease their funding of the United Nations Population Fund.

Baroness Crawley: The Government increased their core contribution to the United Nations Population Fund in 2002 to 18 million to support the important work the fund is doing to improve the sexual and reproductive health of the poor. We will remain strong supporters of UNPFA.

Highway Schemes: Public Inquiries

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How public inquiries into highway schemes will be handled in the future.

Lord Rooker: With the agreement of the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Transport, I wish to make an announcement concerning the Lord Chancellor's panel of independent inspectors. This follows informal consultations with relevant parties. From today I have asked the Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency to take on full responsibility for arranging for suitable inspectors to carry out public inquiries into proposed road schemes.
	The Lord Chancellor has nominated inspectors for road scheme inquiries since acceptance of a recommendation in the 1978 White Paper on the handling of the 1970s roads programme. The Planning Inspectorate was established as an executive agency in 1992, bringing with it the high standards of impartiality, openness and fairness that are a hallmark of the work of the inspectors.
	The Planning Inspectorate has established a deserved reputation for the independent and impartial way it conducts inquiries. That is rightly regarded as key to the process of public participation at inquiry stage, which the Government recognise and value. I therefore have every confidence in asking the agency to take on the task of arranging for suitable inspectors to carry out road inquiries. And that confidence will, I know, be shared by all holding an informed view of the process.
	The Planning Inspectorate places great importance on employing inspectors with an appropriate range of technical skills. Over the last few years it has recruited as inspectors a number of highly qualified and experienced men and women. Their expertise now covers a wide area, including planning, the environment, architecture, engineering, housing and transport issues. Such high quality recruitment is a continuing feature of the agency's profile.
	This change will provide greater flexibility for the Planning Inspectorate to manage resources more effectively, enabling it to deliver an enhanced service, while maintaining and improving quality.

Highways Agency Budget

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the Department for Transport allowed the Highways Agency to overspend its budget by 456 million; what were the reasons for the overspend; and what action they are taking to ensure that overspend by the Highways Agency does not occur again.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The department did not allow the Highways Agency to overspend; it occurred as a result of technical resource accounting and budgeting changes that would not have been necessary under cash accounting. My department and the Highways Agency are working closely to avoid a recurrence.
	In 200102 the final audited expenditure position showed the following breakdown of underspending and overspending.
	Overspending against voted provision is shown as a positive amount.
	
		
			  Resource  million Capital  million Total  million 
			 Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) 128 �142 �14 
			 Outside DEL and AME �10  �10 
			  
			 Conventional spending 118 �142 �24 
			 Annual Managed Expenditure (AME) 338  338 
			  
			 Grand Total 456 �142 314 
		
	
	The Highways Agency underspent on its conventional expenditure programme (equivalent to the old cash expenditure) by 24 million, in line with its forecasts.
	However, some technical accounting classification issues emerged in the first year of full resource accounting and the consequences of these came to light only after the end of the financial year. Regrettably this was too late for the department to seek proper parliamentary approval for the expenditure. As a consequence, this produced a resource overspend and a capital underspend against the voted provision within the departmental expenditure limit.
	More significantly, within the annually managed expenditure (which covers resource accounting and budgeting non-cash items such as depreciation and write downs) the Highways Agency failed to budget correctly for the depreciation of bridges and structures, for the write-downs required on opening new roads and for the creation of some provisions for future maintenance. These led to the overall overspend of 314 million.
	The department took account of the emerging audit results before submitting its Spring Supplementary Estimate for 200203 and is reviewing its future requirements in the light of this better understanding.
	Full details of the circumstances of the budget excess are detailed in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report to the 200102 accounts for the agency (HC 326).

Home Zones and Quiet Lanes

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to publish regulations on home zones and quiet lanes, pursuant to the Transport Act 2000.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: We plan to publish regulations on home zones and quiet lanes in draft for consultation later this year.

Driving Licences

Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 25 March (WA 74), when they intend to require every driver to carry a licence when driving.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Government have no plans to make the carriage of driving licences mandatory. The police have immediate, 24-hour access to the driver licensing details held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. This information is provided via the police national computer and includes details of a driver's licensing status, entitlement and any associated restrictions that may apply. Police officers may also require drivers to produce their driving licences at a police station within seven days.

Transport Council, 2728 March

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What the outcome was of the Transport Council held on 2728 March and what its stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The transport segment of the Transport, Energy and Telecommunications Council was held in Brussels on 2728 March. My right honourable friend the Minister for Transport represented the United Kingdom.
	The Council reached a general approach on a proposal further to accelerate the phase-out of single hull tankers and to ban the carriage of heavy grades of oil in such ships sailing to and from EU ports. The regulation will apply to all ships calling at or leaving Community ports and to all ships carrying Community flags anywhere in the world. The final date for phase-out of single-hull tankers is 2010, with an exemption until 2015 for certain vessels under specified conditions. A Presidency compromise date of 2008 was agreed for the coming into effect of a ban on carriage of heavy oil in tankers below 5,000 tonnes deadweight. The definition of heavy oils was agreed as those having a density at 15oC higher than 900kg/m 3 . We would have preferred a transitional period of 2010, and a definition of 950kg/m 3 , but these compromises are acceptable to the UK, so, together with other member states, we were able to support them as part of an overall package.
	The Commission presented its proposed directive on ship-source pollution and the introduction of sanctions, including criminal sanctions, for pollution offences. The Presidency concluded that the Council would return to the matter in June.
	The Council agreed a general approach on a directive to streamline the assessment of minimum vocational training standards for seafarers. The UK supports the proposal.
	The Commission outlined the content of its Communication on Maritime Security, which is expected shortly. It will include a draft regulation on security for ships and ports in the EU, implementing existing IMO obligations, and set out the Commission's future strategy including a directive on port zones and staff security in the second half of the year. The Presidency hoped that the Council would be able to take decisions on these issues at its June meeting.
	Under AOB, Belgium and France urged action by member states to support an unlimited liability system in respect of oil spills arising from recklessness by ship owners and charterers. This went beyond the Commission's original proposal. Council had previously agreed that the proposed Supplementary Fund to the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPC) regime, to be adopted at the May 2003 IMO Conference, should have a limit of up to E1 billion. The Commission noted that, if the IMO failed to adopt this supplementary fund, the EU should adopt its own regime before the end of the year.
	Also under AOB, the Council discussed a paper for IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee in July, tabled jointly by France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the UK, proposing the creation of particularly sensitive sea areas (PSSAs) around our coasts. The proposal requires further work on points of detail, but there was support in the debate. The Commission stressed the need for consistency with the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
	The Commission presented a progress report on the EU satellite navigation project, Galileo, and outlined the state of play on negotiations with third countries. A Commission mandate for negotiations with China about its involvement in the project was agreed on the condition that security arrangements would be the same as for Russia and the US. The Presidency looked forward to conclusions on integrating the existing EU EGNOS system in June.
	The second rail package, which includes measures to complete market opening for rail freight, promote interoperability and safety and establish a European Rail Authority, was agreed. The package brings forward full liberalisation of international freight from 15 March 2008 to 1 January 2006 and requires liberalisation of domestic rail freight markets by 1 January 2008.
	The Commission presented its proposal to improve safety in road tunnels following disasters in alpine tunnels in recent years. The directive will apply to all tunnels over 500m long on the trans-European road network and will stipulate technical changes, safety instructions for users and different management procedures. At least seven tunnels in the UK would be within scope. My right honourable friend expressed concerns about the costs and benefits of the proposal, which are shared by a number of member states, and about the potential adverse impact on traffic flow.
	The Council confirmed the common position it had reached at the special session held on 31 December last on extension of the ecopoints scheme for limiting alpine lorry transit traffic. In doing so the Council rejected the amendments proposed by the European Parliament in its first reading on 12 February 2003, which could result in a difficult conciliation. The issue is not one in which the UK has a substantive interest.
	On aviation issues, the Council debated the Commission's request for a mandate to allow the Commission to negotiate air service agreements with the US. Most member states were willing to give the Commission a mandate, but ony in return for greater certainty over future arrangements for the negotiation and implementation of bilateral agreements with third countries in light of the recent judgment of the European Court of Justice. The Presidency concluded that work would continue with a view to reaching agreement in June.
	The Council was asked whether it supported the broad aims of the Commission's proposed regulation on unfair pricing practices by third countries and where it could be improved to facilitate agreement at the next Transport Council. The Commission's proposal would allow Community measures to be applied to non-EU airlines found to be using state aid to price unfairly. Most member states agreed with the broad principles of the proposal but had specific concerns on the detail. The Presidency invited COREPER to consider the issues and submit a text to Council in June for common position.
	There was a unanimous political agreement on the proposal to improve safety standards of third country airlines operating to and from Community airports.
	Following discussion over lunch, the Presidency reported general support for the Commission's view that state assistance for European airlines during the conflict in Iraq should be limited and proportionate.
	No formal votes were taken at this Council.